Guyver: Dark Hero
Guyver: Dark Hero (also known as The Guyver 2) is a 1994 American, science fiction, tokusatsu, action film based on the manga, Bio Booster Armor Guyver, and the anime, The Guyver: Bio-Booster Armor. It is a sequel to the 1991 film, The Guyver. Written by Nathan Long and directed by Steve Wang, the film stars David Hayter as Sean Barker/The Guyver, replacing Jack Armstrong in the role. Compared to the previous film, Guyver: Dark Hero was much closer to the source material, more realistic and more violent. The flashback to the creation of the Guyvers, for instance, is taken almost verbatim from the manga. Unlike the first film, Guyver: Dark Hero went direct-to-video and was Rated R (unlike the PG-13 rating of the first movie). Despite not receiving a theatrical release, Guyver: Dark Hero gained a cult following and was met with a far better positive reception than its predecessor. Plot In the second film Sean becomes mentally tortured by his transformation into the Guyver, due of the fact that he's now brutally killing criminals on the streets, and doesn't know what to do with his power which also results in Mizky breaking up with him. He is drawn to an archaeological dig that turns out to be funded by Chronos. While there he falls in love with the leading lady of the film, Cori. He also meets another major character, Atkins, who works for the government, and Cori's father, Marcus. Later on, an alien ship is dug up. At the dig, Sean later learns that some of the people at the dig are Zoanoids who are being led by Crane, the main antagonist of the film. Cori's father also happens to be one. Later on everyone goes inside the ship, and Cori finds another Guyver Unit. Crane takes it planning to return it to Chronos HQ. Cori, overhearing of Crane's plan, is then took hostage by some of the Zoanoids and is about to be killed. Sean learning about this becomes the Guyver and saves Cori, slaughtering the two Zoanoids. Crane hearing that Guyver killed them, he instead equips the Unit to himself. Sean and Cori return to the dig planning to destroy the alien ship. Before thinking about destroying it, Sean goes inside the ship as the Guyver learning about the history of humanity and the purpose of the Guyver. While exiting the ship Cori and Atkins are held hostage by the Zoanoids. Cori's father comes in and frees them from their grasp. Cori then takes cover while Guyver, Atkins, and her father fight off the Zoanoids. Guyver and Atkins kill all the Zoanoids except for Crane who manages to kill Marcus. Crane then turns into the Guyver Zoanoid, who has a damaged control metal. Him and Guyver duke it out. Guyver starts losing against the Guyver Zoanoid, until Cori shoots the Guyver Zoanoid in the control metal causing his suit to malfuntion. Guyver then rips off the damaged control metal causing him to liquify. Guyver then proceeds to use his mega-smasher to end his misery. After the Guyver Zoanoid's defeat, Sean tells Cori that he lied and that the Guyver was the experiment. Guyver then makes the ship take off into space. They all get out of the dig. Atkins then asks Sean to help him and the government launch an underground war against Chronos. Sean refuses and drives away happily with Cori, ending the film then Tyler (Leo Howard) Finds the Guyver Unit and Becomes the New Guyver. Production Info *'Directed by': Steve Wang *'Produced by': Steve Wang *'Screenplay by': Nathan Long *'Story by': Steve Wang *'Based on': Bio Booster Armor Guyver by Yoshiki Takaya *'Music by': Les Claypool III *'Cinematography': Michael G. Wojciechowski *'Editing by': Russ Kingston and Steve Wang *'Distributed by': New Line Cinema *'Release Date(s)': 1994 *'Running Time': 123 minutes *'Country': United States *'Language': English *'Budget': $900,000 *'Preceded by': The Guyver Cast *David Hayter - Sean Barker *Leo Howard - Tyler *Kathy Christopherson - Cori Edwards *Bruno Giannotta - Arlen Crane *Christopher Michael - Atkins *Stuart Weiss - Marcus Edwards *Billi Lee - Mizky *Jim O'Donoghoe - Gouo *J.D. Smith - Doug *Wes Deitrick - Volker *Stephen Oprychal - Bob *Koichi Sakamoto - Sakai *Butch Portillo - Bo *Christopher J. Bradshaw - Grau *Vern Roguen - Mazzo Suit actors *Brian Simpson - Benny/Volker Zoanoid/Crane Zoanoid *Tatsuro Koike - Guyver Zoanoid *Ted Smith - Commando/Stenzoanoid/Mazzo Zoanoid *Anthony Houk - Guyver *David McDonald - Marcus Zoanoid *Scott Putman - Corben Zoanoid *C.D. Post - Monk Zoanoid Reception Guyver 2 was more critically successful than its predecessor. Glenn Kenny of Entertainment Weekly said the film "often plays like an R-rated Mighty Morphin Power Rangers installment ... that's genuinely amusing if you're in the right frame of mind."Guyver 2: Dark Hero review, Glenn Kenny Entertainment Weekly, October 21, 1994 David Johnson of DVD Verdict said that while "the acting is wretched," Guyver 2 is "a much better effort" than the original film. "The action is 100 times better and it kept me fairly entertained throughout."THE GUYVER 2: DARK HERO review, David Johnson, DVD Verdict, August 25th, 2004 Nathan Shumate of Cold Fusion Video Reviews also felt that Guyver 2 was better than the original film, praising its action scenes and saying that David Hayter replacing original star Jack Armstrong was an improvement.Guyver 2: Dark Hero review, Nathan Shumate, Cold Fusion Video Reviews, May 14, 2008 2005 Remastered Version A remastered version of the film was released in Japan in 2005. There's no difference in the 2005 version other than newly remastered sound and additional new music. Proposed Third film According to David Hayterhttp://twitter.com/#!/DavidBHayter/status/172816481204183040, he pitched an outline for a Guyver III to Steve Wang but the rights to The Guyver reverted back to its original owners in Japan. References Category:Films/Movies